Platforms & Sensors
Current platform configurations include both a traditional Fixed Wing UAVs and Vertical Take-Off & Landing VTOL systems. Sensors range from Scientific Lumenera cameras (RGB & NIR imagery) and ICI Thermal cameras to custom sensors that can be adapted/modified to either platform for scientific research applications.
AggieAir Service Center Manager:
Research Engineer
Ian Gowing
ian.gowing@usu.edu
(w) 435-797-3159
(c) 435-760-8842
Office: 236B
Utah State University
1600 Canyon Road
Logan, UT
Platforms
GreatBlue - Hybrid VTOL/Fixed Wing
- 3 Payload Camera Configuration
- Flight Elevation: 120 m to 1,000 m AGL
- Image Resolution: 0.02 m to 0.20 m (visual bands)
- Coverage Area: 15+ sq miles
- Linear Distance: 200+ miles
- Speed: ≈22 mps
The Great Shark, by FOXTECH, is AggieAir’s newest aerial platform. This transition UAV utilizes vertical flight for take off and landing, as well as fixed-wing flight for 2.5+ hours of flight time. The platform itself weighs 13lbs, with a max takeoff weight of 46 lbs including a 10 lb payload, and is made of a Kevlar material which is light and durable.
Minion - Fixed Wing
- 3 Payload Camera Configuration
- Flight Elevation: 120 m to 1,000 m AGL
- Image Resolution: 0.02 m to 0.20 m (visual bands)
- Coverage Area: 5 sq miles
- Linear Distance: 50 miles
- Speed: 30-35 mph
Minion 2.0 is AggieAir’s current main aerial platform. Designed specially for aerial remote sensing independent of a runway.
Matrice - VTOL
- 3 Payload Camera Configuration
- Flight Duration: 30 minutes
- Coverage Area:
- Linear Distance: 5 km
- Speed:
AggieAir utilizes two of these multi-rodor drones in it's UAV fleet. The DJI Matrice 600 has improved flight performance and better loading capacities for AggieAir's payload configuaration.
Payloads
MicaSense Altum Camera Sensor
This advanced camera, produced by MicaSense, integrates a radiometric thermal camera with five high resolution narrow bands, (Red, Green, Blue, red edge and near-IR). Five high-resolution lenses result in detailed scientific imagery and detailed digital surface models.
This camera comes with DLS 2, a light sensor with cutting-edge technology for irradiance and sun angle measurements.
Lumenera Lt965R & Lt1265R Camera Sensors
Lumenera's industrial-grade cameras give AggieAir the ability to capture and save time synchronized, high-quality raw images at 1.5 FPS at full resolution. This camera is used with a high-quality Schneider 16mm lens. The resolving power of this lens is matched to the camera and produces crsip, clear images.
ICI 9640 Thermal Camera Sensor
This IR camera is the upgraded version of the ICI 7640 and has many of the same great features. However, it comes in a much smaller package and has a non-uniformity correction flag. Like the 7640, the 9640is radiometric and comes calibrated using an intense lab calibration procedure. Additional calibration is performed during the flight to compensate for effects of atmosphere and convection.
Spectral Filters
Spectral filters are commonly used to either select or eliminate information for an image based on the wavelength of the information primarily determined by light passing through a glass or plastic window specially treated to transmit or absorb/reflect some wavelengths.
The AggieAir Service Center has the following available filters:
Yellow
- (575 - 625 nm)
- Feature classification
- Enhances the yellow hue found in aquatic & land vegetation
LandSat NIR
- (830 - 880 nm)
- Broader vegetation analysis
- Biomass studies
Vegetation Red Edge
- (675 - 725 nm)
- Measures plant health
- Vegetation classification
LandSat Red
- (630 - 680 nm)
- Vegetation discrimination
- Specializes in bare soil & road classification
- Geological feature visibility
Coastal Blue
- (400 - 450 nm)
- Vegetation analysis
- Enhances bathymetric studies
RGB LandSat
- (450-690 nm)
- Aquatic Habitat Studies
Propeller Aeropoints
Propeller Aeropoints are smart ground control targets with built in GNSS that makes accurate remote sensing data both extremely easy and quick to capture.
Scientific Equipment
Various equipment can be used to customize every mission's agenda. Below are a few of the options available.
Portable Davis Vantage Pro Weather Station
This portable weather station can be located on-site & contains a suite of sensors including an anemoeter, rain collector, temperature, humidity, and solar irradiance sensor.
Air Quality Sensors
This sensor is used to measure ozone levels.
Total Station
An electronic instrument used for surveying, reading slope distances and performing advanced coordinate calculations.
Leaf Area Index Sensor
Sensor used to describe the state and progress of crop canopies.
Portable Soil Moisture Sensor
Portable sensor to measure soil moisture content.
Mounted Weather Station
This weather station records humidity, atmospheric pressure, and air temperature.
RTK GPS
This system is designed to enhance the precision of position data derived from satellites.
Hyperspectral Sensor
This sensor allows us to obtain the spectrum for each pixel in the image of a scene.
Portable SPAD 502 Chlorophyll Meter
A lightweight handheld meter used to measure chlorophyll content of leaves without causing damage to plants.
Scintillometer
Sensor to measure energy fluxes and scintillation of light caused by atmospheric conditions.
Incident Light Sensor
This sensor compensates for cloud cover, haze, and
shifting solar intensity.
